Event Report: The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan
On September 30 from 3:00pm-4:30pm (EST), the Centre for the Study of Global Japan hosted a talk titled “The U.S.-Japan Alliance and Taiwan.” The event featured Professor Adam Liff. Professor Liff is Director of the 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative and Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Indiana University Bloomington. The event was co-sponsored by the East Asia Seminar Series of the Asian Institute. Diana Fu introduced the speaker, and Phillip Lipscy moderated the event.
Professor Liff’s talk examined the historical evolution of Japanese perspectives on the U.S.-Japan security alliance’s and the Japan Self Defense Force’s potential roles in a “Taiwan contingency.” He argued that though Tokyo’s nuanced positions and policies are often neglected in the U.S.-centric academic literature and policy discourse, Japan is a critical front-line player. Its choices will inevitably remain crucial variables affecting cross-strait deterrence, U.S. options, and how things may play out if deterrence fails. His talk provided a detailed and nuanced examination of Japan’s policy evolution and corrected common misperceptions that exaggerate the degree of change.
The talk was attended by over 40 in-person attendees and ended with a lively and productive Q&A session.
